I moved from Sainte Anne Anchorage to Anse Mitan with a stop at Anse d'Arlet for a short change of scenery when the troubles started ....
On Friday night around midnight my water pump started to run making an unusual noise, then the bilge pump. I straight away jumped in the bilge to see what was going on. The water was coming from under the bed so 2 solutions , the water maker membranes (which I was sure and hopped it really wasn't) and the Hot water Tank. That's it! the Hot water Tank. I do remember it happened once so I turned off water pump and hot water service. Emptied the tank and filled it up again. Fixed. I guess as I left the hot water service on since but rarely use the hot water from it, it built pressure and boom!
On the Saturday morning going to the outside fridge, it wouldn't close or open... means it stayed quarter open for a little while I managed to fix it. Fixed!
Between my IPhone stopped working...
And then, pfffff, while babysitting a son's friends a sailing boat from the military school failed his tack and bumped into Sephina! For them it was an open day and the skipper was with 5 beginners on board. Could you believe that at the speed he arrived toward Sephina one of the crew girl try to stop the impact putting her legs forward, fell in the water (better than ending with an open broken leg uh?!) and the skipper jumped overboard, I dunno why but he did, leaving the beginners alone on board till he could jump on again...Weird!
Anyway there the damage :
Not finished yet...
As a storm was building up I sailed back to Sainte Anne. First big storm experience by myself, Freaky!
Here pics and video of Tropical storm Matthew Cat 2 when he passed over, we've been reaching 61.3 knots of wind. Matthew turned hurricane Cat 4 around two days after.
I am very saddened to tell you that My Sweet Love, my soul mate has left for another world. I will be missing Him a lot as many others will do too! He was and still is a beautiful man and a wonderful sailor.
The blog hasn't been updated for a while but I'll try to post on it as often as I can!
Thank you very much for following and helping me to keep sailing his dream.
Waiting for what's coming next, Here an Happy tribute I did for Him! Remember to keep smiling and ...enjoy the Ride!
After three amazing months spent at Antigua we sailed south toward Martinique for some supplies and to change the Jib Furler as it wasn't working properly anymore. After that done, we anchored in St Anne and Monty, some paperwork to do, took the plane toward Australia for 3 weeks. I stayed in St Anne with Balrog waiting for him to be back and by the way did another epidural injection as my back started to be sore again!
Three weeks has passed and my Love is Back, time to move to enjoy the Hurricane season in the Grenadines and Grenada! and keep going our adventure toward new destinations, ABC'S, Colombia, St Blas then Panama canal ready for the Pacific!
So we left Martinique on May 5th stopped at Rodney Bay, St Lucia for the night and the next day sailed straight to Bequia. Monty did a video on the way, I posted it the way he did it...
We arrived at Bequia, port Elizabeth on the Friday 6th in the end of the afernnon.
The Sunday we went for a snorkel and invite some people for a sundown. Of course we spoke about sailing and our stories. Monty at once told them that living on the boat together for 5 years it is like living together for 15 years on land! Then smiling he looked at me and said " That means Jen we still have around 150 years to live together! " I was so pleased by that idea that I agree giving him my largest smile.
Later on when everyone went back home, we stayed up a little bit more and spoke about how lucky we were to found each other and that none of both will change a thing if we could start our life again from 0. Because everything we did since, bad or good, brought us to meet each other, brought us to be happy and deeply in love. Satisfied like that we will never change a thing!
It's strange how things we said doesn't have any sens anymore...
Around 4am Monty woke up with a chest pain and ask me for aspirin, the only thing I do not have on my first aid kit it's aspirin :(
Then he told me that he felt that same pain once while in Australia riding his bike few days before he flew back to Martinique.I still don't know why he didn't tell me it at this time... he probably didn't want me to worry about it.
8 am we took the dinghy to shore and visit the doctor in Bequia. A lot of people waiting so we finally seen him around noon. Told us that it was only heartburn prescribe some medicines but ask us to come in his office to have his heart checked. The cardiogram showed irregularity from 42 to 76 passing by 54 etc... but the doc kept saying that it was just heartburn and to come back on Wednesday if not feeling any better to do a blood check...
We went to the chemist to pick up the medicines but they didn't have it all so they asked us to come back around 6pm.
I realise now that Monty was very worry about what was happening, but once again didn't tell me. We we came back on Sephina have a light lunch and went for a nap as he asked me to have a rest with him. I fell asleep but I think he didn't. Later and to late, I've seen a lot of internet pages opened on his Ipad regarding Heartburn and heart diseases...
5.30pm we went back to the chemist, I wanted to go by myself but he didn't let me to. So we went together. On the way back I remember he stopped, looked at me and said " Jen , maybe I am dying and I don't know" I should have been taking what he said more seriously at this stage but I only told him " don't be silly! you are not dying! we still have plenty of things to do, plenty of time to love each other traveling and make baby...! " so he hugged and kissed me and we kept walking toward the dinghy and start our way back to Sephina. Almost half way there the nightmare began...
One thing I can tell you, if you pass by the Grenadines and feel sick, run to Grenada or Martinique Hospital!
They do have nothing in Bequia as well as they know nothing about medicine! We had to use the defibrillator our self...but to late, Monty passed away. Autopsy showed a Coronary Artery Disease.
I was devastated and I am still.
Mr Mills, from the funeral place is in fact, sorry but Mr Prick! I had to wait a month and a half for him to give me Monty Ashes can you believe that? Well I know that they don't cremate in Saint Vincent so they had to send him in Grenada then come back. That took a week. The other weeks it was only because the money transfer was block on Mr Prick Miami Bank Account and didn't want hear anything until he got it on his St Vincent bank account.... Such a professional guy so is the Doc!
Anyway I finally could breath better when Monty came back to me and then I sailed Sephina back to Martinique where I thought things will be easier for me.
I am now still there, waiting for paperwork to be done, probate things and new boat registration as as I am nor Australian resident nor citizen I can't keep my beautiful Australian flag ... Bummer!
Now My baby his gone and nothing can bring him back! He left in my arms doing what he loves most, living the biggest dream he had since kid, sailing the oceans! I have been alone on the boat with Balrog since and days are very long and meanless without him by our side...but we will keep strong, we'll keep going and doing my best to keep Sephina in good shape sailing oceans till the end of his dreams!
I want to thanks Family and friends from France and Australia for their words, love and support. A huge thanks to Gary, Monty's brother for taking care about everything from Aus, Thanks to Sv Merlin for their presence at this time, Sv Silence, Sv Lilli and Sv Gran Largo for their help and love.
I am Very sorry for My Lovely Monty, I am very sorry for myself, sorry not to have been able to do better to save his life, I am very sorry for his Dad, his brothers and his kids, I am very sorry for everyone who loves him, shared laughs, music and all the good things he enjoyed in his life!
As he said "Memories not forgotten, raise a glass for me..."
Thanks to Coil and Leelee for organizing all the events on his honor in Australia. there a tribute made by them at Torquay Beach paddle out:
Songs Gravity and Cold Water performed by Monty (L)
Here we go! I'll do a quick update on our previous adventures...
We spent the Hurricane season in grenada. Seen a lot of country sides and took the opportunity to fly back home for a short time. Then before going on the roll again, hauled Sephina Out and gave her a new Anti fouling job done in Grenada Marina where we've met with other Aussie Sailors Sv La Vagabonde!
Exploring Grenada with Sv La Vagabonde
We left Le Marin, Martinique on January first 2016 toward Antigua. We had nice days sailing with quick stops for the night in Roseau, Dominica - Dehaies, Guadeloupe and dropped the anchor at Freeman Bay, Antigua. There we've took a berth at the Marina as when in Grenada we serviced the engines and sail-drives but the guy did put the wrong oil! Once everything done we've set sail toward Green Island, so far our favorite spot in the Caribbean.
Yes! we spent 3 months there! Kite-surfing (Monty taught me how to even though I am not really up on the board yet!), partying on the beach with friends, snorkeling and celebrating our birthdays etc. Such a nice Time over there.
We as well set sail toward Barbuda, beautiful island north of Antigua. A bit tricky though to enter some bays as there's very shallow spots there.
Salt Whistle Bay, Mayreau SVG
Celebrating Love (L)
Exploring Barbuda
Monty Catching some wave in Chatam Bay, Union Island
